Public relations firm R&CPMK is suing a group of former employees and rival 2 PM Sharp, accusing the latter of “aiding or incentivizing” various acts of misconduct, including breach of contract, interfering with client relationships and theft as the former employees set up their new PR firm.
The suit alleges that some former employees — including former co-presidents Lindsay Galin and Jeff Raymond and former CEO Marc Owens — “improperly downloaded thousands of R&CPMK files, including confidential, proprietary and other sensitive business information” as part of an overarching plan to “jumpstart 2 PM Sharp’s new business by theft.”
The ex-employees named co-defendants in the complaint include Robert Greenwald, Alexandra Klein, Margaret Bryant, Jaclyn Mallon, Montana Rispoli, Kaity McQuade, Jennifer Kelleher, Jessica Sciacchitano, Heather McDevitt, Michelle Schwartz and Jamie Arons.
Beginning in late 2023, the complaint claims that Owens began efforts to take R&CPMK business and recruit members of R&CPMK’s workforce for 2 PM Sharp while serving as R&CPMK’s CEO. He would later be terminated in March 2024.
A domain for 2 PM Sharp would be registered around May 28 and it was formally launched as a limited liability company around July 19.
Between Oct. 1 and 3, 13 employees abruptly resigned to join 2 PM Sharp. On Oct. 2, Sciacchitano sent an email to Owens, Galin and Raymond at their respective 2PM Sharp email addresses with a list of clients she would be taking to 2PM Sharp, which was later deleted, according to the lawsuit, which has been obtained by TheWrap.
“Due to Defendants’ conduct, individually and/or in concert with each other, R&CPMK stands to lose untold sums in revenues from the loss of client business, and significant additional amounts in out-of-pocket costs for, among other things, recruiting, hiring and onboarding replacement employees while also restoring morale and stability across existing employees,” the filing adds. “All told, Defendants are causing, threatening and/or will continue to cause or threaten significant harm to R&CPMK, as well as damage to R&CPMK’s reputation as an industry leader.”
The lawsuit is seeking an injunction against the employees and all other parties involved to prevent them from accessing, using or disclosing the confidential and proprietary information or soliciting its clients for 12 months from the date of their violations.
It’s also asking for a court order for all original files and copies, devices, electronic media and/or documents with the information to be returned, as well as actual, incidental, compensatory, consequential and punitive damages following a trial.
Representatives for R&CPMK and 2 PM Sharp did not immediately return TheWrap’s request for comment.
Pamela Chelin contributed to this reporting.
